Sola Fide Observatory

Just three miles south of Austin, Minnesota, the Sola Fide Observatory gives visitors a public window onto the night sky, staffed by volunteers from the JC Hormel Nature Center.

About Sola Fide Observatory

Sola Fide Observatory is owned and operated by staff and volunteers from the JC Hormel Nature Center. Its main instrument is an 18-inch Starmaster fully-computerized Dobsonian telescope, well suited to both public viewing nights and more detailed observation.

History

In 2019, the observatory expanded its facilities with a 10-foot by 60-foot concrete observing strip fitted with 120-volt AC power poles, plus three separate concrete observing pads without power, giving visiting astronomers more room to set up their own equipment.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in a rural setting three miles south of Austin, Minnesota, in the United States, chosen for its distance from town lighting.

Visiting Sola Fide Observatory

Sola Fide Observatory is available for public observation sessions organised through the JC Hormel Nature Center; check their site for the current schedule before you go.

See your named star from here

With an 18-inch Dobsonian on hand, this is exactly the kind of site where a named star's coordinates can be picked out of the sky. If you've named a star with us, its position is ready to find, or browse the star catalogue to see what's already been named.